ABSTRACT
The first goal of this chapter is to situate translation research within the historical context of writing research. The second goal is to remind readers of an established, but often overlooked, principle in scientific research that the most appropriate methods, measures, and models depend on the research question. One research method is not intrinsically superior to another, even though many mistakenly believe that certain methods are superior to others. The third goal is to discuss alternative, interdisciplinary approaches and encourage future research on translation that draws on multiple approaches. The fourth goal is to explain why (a) researchers should be more careful in describing the population studied and research question addressed and (b) reviews and meta-analyses of the research findings should be clearly linked to both population characteristics and research design and questions.
